Clamp for concrete-column forms



May 26, 1925.

1,539,053 H. o. MCMILLAN CLAMP FOR CONCRETE COLUMN FORMS Filved Sept. 22, 1924 ml lI-EEEE; 1h. 4|. gf//l//f/WW//W/ -m-IEIIII Patented ay. 26, 1925.,

HOWARD 0. MCMILLAN, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA,

CLAMP FOR CONCRETE-COLUMN FORMS. fr. e D

Application illed September 22, 1924:. Serial No. 739,067.

v LAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clamps for Concrete-Column Forms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a clamp andparticularly to a column clamp such as used in clamping forms for concrete columns. As is well known to those skilled in the art, in the formation of concrete columns the form is made, usually, of boards whichare firmly held in position by a series of clamps so as to hold the concrete in proper position until it has set.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple and ehcient clamp for clamping a concrete columnform and one which can be easily and quickly applied and operated to clamp the form.

lt is also an object of this invention to provide such a clamp comprising pairs of bars adapted to extend around the corners of the form and overlap at the sides of the form, said overlapped bars having means for moving the same relatively longitudinally to tighten the clamp. f

lt is a further object of the invention to provide such a clamp comprising pairs of bars hinged or pivoted together and ar' ranged to be folded into alined form when not in use, one of said bars preferably having a laterally disposed U-shaped portion` arranged to embrace the'other bar.l

lt is still further an object of the invention to provide such a clamp comprising pairs of hars, the bars of each pair extending at an angle to each other, said bars having longitudinally spaced slots extending transversely therethrough, the slots in one har being spaced a greater distance than the slots in the other so that the same will be out of alinement in the respective bars together with a wedge member adapted to he' disposed in said slots and relatively move said bars.

lt is still another object of the invention to provide a clamp having pairs of bars, as

above set forth, which bars are preferably flat and pivotally connected at' one end l with their flat sides in contact, said bars being offset out of the plane of said fiat side adjacent said pivotal connection.

It is also an object of the present'invention to provide a clamp, as set forth in the preceding paragraphs, comprising the pairs of bars, as stated, together with a wedge adapted to be driven through the slots in Said bars to draw the same together.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views, and in which, l

F ig. 1 is a view in horizontal section of the column form showing the clamp in plan;

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of said column form and clamp; l

Fig. 3 is an edge view of the clamp in. folded position;

Fig. 4 is a view-,in side elevation of the clamp lin partly open position;

lFig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, as indicated hy the arrows; v

lig. 6 isa horizontal section taken on the line 6 6 of Figzz, as indicated by. the arrows; and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing 'the parts in different position.

Referring to the drawings, a form for a concrete column is shown as 8, said form being composed of vertically extending boards and the same being shown as recllach of said pairs comprisesa bar 9 preferably of fiat form which is pivotally conneet-ed at its ends to another bar 10. The bar 9 has secured at its free end a longitudinally extending yoke or lll-shaped member 1l. While this yoke may be secured to or formed on the barin various ways, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, it is shown as connected to the bar 9 by spaced rivets. The opening in the yoke 11 is directed laterally and is of such size as to freely receive the bar 10. The yoke l1 and har 9 are provided with longitudinally extending slots l2 which extend transversely through said yoke and bar. While said slots' may be spaced apart dili'erent distances, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, they are shown as spaced sub1 stantially the distanceof the length of one of the slots. The bar 10 is also provided Awith a series of longitudinally extending slots 13, vsaid latter slots being spaced a smaller distance apart than the slots 1.2. While the slots 13 may also be spaced diflferent distances, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated they are shown as spaced substantially one-third the length of one of the slots, the slots 12 and 13 belng of substantially the same length. The bars 9v and 10 are odset laterally out of theplane of their flat sides adjacent the point of their pivotal connection, as shown at 14 1n F1g. 3. One or more wedge members 15 are pro vided for use in connection with the pairs` Vend of one bar 10 overlaps the end of the a'djacent bar 9 and passes through and is embraced bythe yoke 11 on said bar 9. Owing to the Jfact that the slots in the bars are spaced diierently, the slots will be out of alinement. The ba'rs are initialy disposed about the form so'that the end of the bar 10 extends to or past the inner end of yoke 11. The slots in the bar 10 will then appear, for instance, as shown in Fig. 6, a portion of one of the slots 13 alining with the end portion of one of the slots 12. lVith the bars in this position about the form a wedge 15 is insert ed downwardly through the slot 12 and its smaller end will engage in the exposed portion of slot 13.v The wedge will now be driven downwardly and the bars 9 and 10 will be drawn together. This movement of the wedge can be continued until the t, slots 12 and 13 are substantially in alinement. l.Vhen this occurs, as shown in Fig.

"I, if it is desired. to further tighten the form or clamp another wedge 15 will be inserted in the slot 11 at the right of Fig. 7 so that its small end will engage in the exposed portion of the adjacent slot 13. This wedge can now be driven downwardly, the wedge 15 pivotally driven being removed as soon as the second 'wedge/tightly engages thc bars. The bars can thus be drawn together so that the clamp will be tightened very securely about the form with practically any desired pressure. The last wedge driven, of course, will be left'in the clamp to hold the same in position and will be held securely in the clamp by friction. Owing to the relative spacing of the slots in the two bars and the yoke 11, a continuous action by the wedges can be maintained and one of the slots 13 will always be in position to be engaged by the wedge driven in the yoke 11. A step by step or successive tightening action is thus obtained. Owing to the offset 14 in the bars it will be seen, by reference to Fig. 2, that the bar 10 is brought below the plane of the bar 9 which is at the adjacent sides ofthe column so that, if necessary, the bar 13 can project beyond the side of the column 4and will pass the bar 9 at the other side of the column.

lVhen the clamp is not in use, the pairs of bars 9 and 10 can be folded or jack-knifed together, as shown in Fig. 3, the bar 10 swinging into the` yoke 1l so that the pairs of bars are brought into very compact arrangement and will require little space in packing for transportation or storage. The A umns, the pairs of bars embracing the colV umns, as shown in Fig. 1, the pivotally connected point being disposed at the corners and the-ends of the bars overlapping at the sides. It will be noted that it is not necessary to have any bars projecting beyond the sides of the column so' that the clamp may be used on a column which is very close to a wall or other object. The device is easily and inexpensively made and is of rugged character adapted to stand the usage for which it is designed. The device has been amply demonstrated in actual practice and found to be very successful and eiicient.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, such as shown and described and defined in the appended claims.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. A. column clamp comprising bars` cxtending around the corners of a column form and overlappingr at the sides oi.' said column form, and means engaging said bars at their overlappedportions relatively to move said bars longitudinally and tighten said clamp.

2. A column clamp comprising pairs of hinged bars, each pair adapted to extend around a corner of the column and the ends of adjacentJ pairs adapted to overlap atthe side of said column, said overlapped bars having meansfor successively moving the same in opposite directions longitudinally to tighten said clamp.

3. The structure set forth in claim 2, said bars being off-set a distance greater than their thickness whereby the projecting ends will not be obstructed at the corners of the form.

4. A column clamp comprising bars ex-` tending -around the corners of a column form and overlapping at the sides of said column form, means for moving said bars relatively longitudinally, one of said bars havingA a laterally disposed U-shaped portion adapted to receive and embrace the other bar whereby the bars can be folded 1n alined relation. l

5. A column clamp comprising bars extending around the cornersof a column form and overlapping at the sides of said column form, one of said bars having a pair lof spaced longitudinal slots extending transtioned bar being spaced a distance substantially one-third of the length of said slots.

7. A clamp for a concrete column form comprising a plurality of pairs of bars, the bars of each pair being angularly disposed land adapted to extend around one corner of a column form andoverlap the bars extending around an adjacent corner at thesides of said form, one` of the bars of each pair' having a laterally disposed U-shaped portion adjacent its free end adapted'to embrace the other bar, said U-shaped portion having spaced slots extending transversely y through both sides thereof, the other bar having a series of slots extending transversely therethrough, said latter slots being spaced closer together than said first mer.- tioned slots whereby the slots in said bar and U-shaped portion, respectively, are out of' alinement, and a wedgc'adapted to extend through slots in adjacent bars when the bars are applied to the form to move said bars longitudinally and tighten said clamp.

i 8. A column .clampcomprising pairs of hinged bars, each pair adapted to extend around a corner of the column and the ends` of adjacent pairs adapted to overlap at the side of said column, said ends each being provided with a plurality of longitudinally disposed slots extending transversely through said bars, the slots in the respectivebars being spaced difi'erent distances apart whereby they are out of alinement, and a wedge adapted tobe driven into the slots in adjacent bars when the bars are applied to the column to move said bars and tighten said clamp.

9. The structure set forth in claim 8, said bars being offset transversely adjacent their hinged points.

10. A clamp for a concrete column form comprising a plurality of pairs of bars, the

bars of each palr being pivotally connected together at one of their ends and one being` formed at its other end with a laterally disposed yoke adapted to receive'and embrace the other bar, said yoke having spaced longitudinally disposed slots extending transversely therethrough and the other bar having a plurality of longitudinally disposed slots extending transversely therethrough spaced closer together than the slots in said yoke, 4, said slots being of substantially the same length in said yoke and bar, and a wedge adapted to be inserted in the slots in said voke and bar whereby'said bars may be drawn together longitudinally.

11. A column clamp comprising a plurality of pairs of fiat bars, the bars of each pair` beingpivotally connected at one end, a yoke secured adjacent'the end of one of said bars of each pair, said yoke opening laterally and adapted lto receive and embrace the other bar, said yoke having longitudinally spaced slots extending transversely therethrough, the other bar having a series of longitudi- 'nally disposed similar slots spaced a smaller distance apart, and a wedge adapted tobe inserted through the slots in said yoke and a slot in the other bar of the adjacent pair of bars when the clamp is applied to the column whereby asuccessive tightening may be effected. t

12. The structure set forth in claim ll, said bars being offset in Va direction normal to their flat sides out of the plane of the main portions thereof' adjacent their points of pivotal connection.

In testimony whereof I aflx my signature.

' HOWARD O. MGMILMAN. 

